Thursday morning, a report surfaced that the Kansas City Chiefs were surveying the running back market. With four running backs and a fullback on the roster who have a good chance of making the final 53 for the Chiefs, I’m not sure why this report makes sense.
The Kansas City Chiefs have a singular mindset and singular goal every year: to win the Lombardi Trophy. Nothing else matters, and in the case of their quest to play in four consecutive Super Bowls, their roster is always in motion.
Thursday morning, ESPN insider Diana Russini said the Chiefs were one of the teams looking to upgrade the running back room. Now, with Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, and Elijah Mitchell all set to be free agents after the 2025 season, perhaps Kansas City is looking for productivity and controllable depth.
Rookie BRasjard Smith is still gaining his footing at the NFL level, though he made significant strides in his last preseason game against Seattle. Hunt has been dealing with a shoulder issue, and we really haven’t seen enough of Mitchell to determine his roster status.
With one more preseason game set for Arrowhead on Friday night, the Chiefs are five days away from trimming their roster to the mandatory number of 53.
So why are the Chiefs kicking the tires on running backs?
I think Pacheco, Hunt, and Smith will make the roster, so that leaves one more running back spot if the Chiefs don’t keep Carson Steele, their lone fullback. Perhaps the Chiefs make a move to add another running back, but that means someone has to go.
Mitchell hasn’t shown enough to warrant a roster spot, so perhaps he’s the fall guy.
The Washington Commanders are shopping running back Brian Robinson, but he’s set to be a free agent after the season. He does have nearly three thousand all-purpose yards in three seasons with Washington, but to me, he’s a carbon copy of Pacheco.
Travis Etienne from Jacksonville could also be on the move. The Jaguars are going younger at the position, and he’s a proven commodity at the NFL level. However, is he better than Pacheco?
Perhaps this is all a smoke screen, and the Chiefs, instead of shopping for a running back, might be willing to move one of their own?
Either way, I can’t see a deal getting done until after Friday Night’s game against the Chicago Bears. However, the Chiefs have already moved Skyy Moore to the San Francisco 49ers, which cleared $1.5 million in cap space. They also have tradeable depth at other positions.
So, in review, if this report is accurate, perhaps the Chiefs feel Smith won’t make an impact this season. He has been dealing with a hand issue, so he could go on injured reserve and be saved for the 2026 season.
Still, this is perplexing and one that will likely sort itself out before Tuesday’s cuts.
